Staff of Dagestani weekly on trial for extremism in Russia

New York,
March 10, 2010—The Committee to Protect Journalists expressed concern today at
the continued criminal prosecution of five journalists with the Dagestani
independent weekly Chernovik.

Editor-in-Chief Nadira Isayeva and reporters Magomed Magomedov, Artur Mamayev, Timur Mustafayev, and Biyakai Magomedov are charged with incitement of hatred and demeaning the honor of law enforcement officials as a “social group” in several stories published in Chernovik in 2008. Under Article 282 of Russia’s criminal code, the four reporters face up to two years in prison if convicted; Isayeva faces up to five years as editor of the publication, CPJ research shows.

“We call on the Leninsky District Court to fully acquit Nadira Isayeva, Magomed Magomedov, Artur Mamayev,
Timur Mustafayev, and Biyakai Magomedov,” CPJ Europe and Central Asia Program
Coordinator Nina Ognianova said. “Authorities,
including those in law enforcement, must learn to tolerate the scrutiny that
comes with public office.”

Dagestani prosecutors charged Isayeva in August
2008 with making public calls to extremism and incitement of hatred
stemming from an article called "Terrorists
Number One" published that July. It quoted a late guerilla leader who
had fought in Dagestan and Chechnya
against federal forces during the Second Chechen War and accused regional
authorities of corruption and enslaving themselves to the Kremlin. Authorities
charged that the article “publicly justifies terrorism,” according to an August
6, 2008, press release by Russia’s
Prosecutor General’s Office.

Chernovik is often critical of regional police and the
Federal Security Service. Isayeva and her colleagues have contended that
antiterrorist operations carried out by the two agencies fueled the rise of
militant Islam in the region.

In the 19 months since the initial charge was leveled
against Isayeva, Dagestani authorities have raided
the homes of Chernovik journalists, looking for “extremist” materials. They
have tried to close
down the paper for allegedly carrying “extremist statements” and indicted the
four other Chernovik journalists in connection with a total of 10 articles
published in the weekly, according to CPJ’s research. The trial of the five
journalists began in January, without a plaintiff present, Isayeva told CPJ.

The contents of the Chernovik articles in question have been
subjected to analyses by psychological and linguistic experts appointed by the
prosecution and employed by state institutions. Isayeva told CPJ that she and her
colleagues will appeal for independent, outside analyses of the paper’s
contents.

According to a May 2009 statement
by the independent Moscow-based organization Sova, which specializes in monitoring
acts of nationalism and xenophobia in Russia, Chernovik’s materials do
not carry calls to extremism.

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